MPPOA position on CCW

[aypstony]

Hey,

Anyone know if the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association(MPPOA) supported the passage of MPPA? Do they encourage citizen CCW?

I received a request for donation, but the amount will depend on their stance on that issue.

Thanks, Tony

[mnlitig8r]

My understanding from reading past postings on the twincitiescarry.com forums is that the MPPOA has vigorously fought against citizen carry. There was a posting on that forum discouraging support of the organization.

[aypstony]

My understanding from reading past postings on the twincitiescarry.com forums is that the MPPOA has vigorously fought against citizen carry. There was a posting on that forum discouraging support of the organization.

Thanks. This will be a chance for me to send them a letter stating my position....that no further donations will be made until they re-evaluate their public policy.

[642rUS]

The MPPOA acts as the police auxiliary of the DFL party. Since at least 1983, the MPPOA has never supported anything benefiting gun owners and it works hand-in-hand with Citizens for a Safer Minnesota to push every anti-gun idea that comes up at the Legislature. Compared to the MPPOA, both the Sheriffs Association and the Chief's Association are "moderate" on guns.

Do not support the MPPOA. Most of the money goes for fundraising and other "administrative" costs anyhow.

If you want to support your local police, call the local chief and ask what they need.

[joelr]

Hey,

Anyone know if the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association(MPPOA) supported the passage of MPPA? Do they encourage citizen CCW?

I received a request for donation, but the amount will depend on their stance on that issue.

Thanks, Tony

No, and no. They opposed it, dragged their heels for years, and when it was clear it was going to pass -- both in 2003 and 2005 -- worked very, very hard to get special privileges for cops embedded into the law. Same for the Minnesota Sheriffs Association, and the Minnesota Chiefs.

[Motoman]

My understanding from reading past postings on the twincitiescarry.com forums is that the MPPOA has vigorously fought against citizen carry. There was a posting on that forum discouraging support of the organization.

Thanks. This will be a chance for me to send them a letter stating my position....that no further donations will be made until they re-evaluate their public policy.

Even if they changed their view and said they supported it, how could you justify giving them any money, after they were so vigorous in trying to keep us from exercising our 2nd amendment rights?

If I walked up to you and punched you in the face, and then said I’m sorry, would you be willing to donate money to me?

[joelr]

[deleted by poster]

[Motoman]

Even if they changed their view and said they supported it, how could you justify giving them any money, after they were so vigorous in trying to keep us from exercising our 2nd amendment rights?

If I walked up to you and punched you in the face, and then said I’m sorry, would you be willing to donate money to me?

A very reasonable, well-thought-out, cogent analogy, ably presented.

I totally disagree with it.

If I took the position that the MPPOA is a collective person, I'd agree with you: as a collective person, I'd say they've long since crossed the line, and become permanently persona non grata. On the the other hand, I don't look at that organization as a person, but as a machine -- I view my relationship as "I/it", rather than "I/thou," to go all Buber on you. Machines aren't people, and can't commit sins, or crimes. They're just collections of parts, and the only issue -- to me, that is -- with a machine is what output you will get, given an input. If I thought that giving it money, at some point, and/or encouraging others to give it money, at some point, would lead to a desirable output from that machine, I'd do it.

At this point, I don't think that giving them a penny makes sense; I do think that telling the machine that -- should it mend its ways, and keep them mended, and make appropriate amends -- there might someday be something in it for the MPPOA; I think that does make sense.

So that's what I do.

btw, it's the same way in dealing with the Pawlenty administration. That machine has proved itself unreliable, at best . . . but if it gets itself fixed some, it may become less unreliable, and as faulty as it is, come 2010, it might even be preferable to the alternative. (Depends on who the DFL puts up. That said, if things on that end roll the way I'm hoping they do, it's not impossible that, on 2A issues, I'll be supporting a DFL gubernatorial candidate and mostly Republicans for the state House and Senate.)

I agree with you on the Pawlenty administration, however the MPPOA isn't a part of the legislative process. Giving them money doesn't help our cause in any way, shape, or form.

[plblark]

I agree with you on the Pawlenty administration, however the MPPOA isn't a part of the legislative process. Giving them money doesn't help our cause in any way, shape, or form.

Well, unless the organization came to realize that the some of people most likely to support and donate were Carry permit holders and declined to donate because of this stance. Then they might alter their stance. A Police organization supporting Carry, especially in MN, would be a great achievement.

Yeah, not likely. But nice if it happened. And more likely to happen if they get a consistent message.

That aside, the MPPOA is not one of my favorites. I used to do cold calls for them years ago. 80% of the money went to the telemarketers, and then something like 70-80% of the remainder went to admin. So you're left with 4 to 6% of the money raised hitting the street. Not a great rate of return IMnsHO.

[joelr]

[deleted by poster]

[aypstony]

I did end up sending a small donation, with a letter stating that any further donations would depend on a re-evaluation of their policies and behavior. I requested unequivocal support and action on their part and not reticence or resistance to future 2nd Amendment related legislation.

Writing the letter was actually therapeutic, helping me to reaffirm my beliefs in CCW and the 2nd Amendment.